Settling Differences
by herecomesthesuntherain
Summary: How far would you go for the one you love? Would you give up everything you were raised to believe if it meant her happiness? How three girls change the viewpoints of two vamps and a wolf. Jasper/OC Jake/OC Edward/OC and the rest are the same.
1. Sophia Anne Evanson

**Disclaimer: I'm sorry to say I do not own Twilight, its plot, characters, or complete awesomeness. No, those rightfully belong to Stephenie Meyer, a true master (or should I say...mistress) of literature. Other people who I believe deserve this title are Ms. Joanne Kathleen Rowling, Mr. William Shakespeare, and last but not least Mr. Tsugumi Ohba. Any excerpts, quotes, character names, plots or anything else from Twilight in this fic ARE NOT MINE! I don't own any songs, celebrities, brand names, or any other media, either. I own my own characters, my own plot, and several pairs of shoes. Kay, peace out, Tigger! On with the fic!**

::peace::love::music::

Dim the lights, close the doors, and call for places. Wait for those last few teenagers to turn off their cell phones before the show begins. Pull up the curtain and cue a dim light on a street corner, where our story starts. It's Halloween night in Manhattan, New York and the year is nineteen ninety one. This street corner was abandoned...until now.

Cue a young girl; slightly awkward, not very good at blending in, but beautiful in her own way. She wore a party dress and a content smile, so one would assume she was going somewhere special. Fresh into her senior year of high school, she probably aged around seventeen or eighteen. Her dirty blond hair was pulled into a high ponytail on one side of her head and her dull, blue-gray eyes hidden behind pink sunglasses to block out the bright nocturnal lights of the city nearby. Nothing had changed much for this girl with the transition from one decade to the other; she still had her large circle of friends and her own unique sense of style. She wasn't exactly miss popularity, but she got invited to her share of events. This Halloween night, for instance, she was headed to a party thrown by _the_ most popular girl in her high school, who the girl herself wasn't exactly fond of, but her friends would be there.

She checked her watch to see that it was eight-fifty, only ten minutes until the time she told her friends she would meet them. She wrinkled her nose at the sight of the traffic and decided that driving was out of the question. She took a deep breath and headed left down the busy Manhattan street, telling herself that as long as she stayed on the main roads, everything would be fine. Born and raised a New Yorker, she knew that signs of uncomfort on the outside would make her more vulnerable to...well, to those looking for the vulnerable type. So she did her best to keep her face and body movements confident, despite her paranoid gut telling her to just stay home or to call a friend for a ride.

About four or five blocks down the street, she looked down an old alley that she had been down many times during the day, but never at night. She could see the street on which her destination was just by looking down the alley, and knew that if she stayed on the streets it would take her at least another fifteen minutes. She knew that it was the most clichéd bad idea in the book, but she had been down this alley with her friends so many times that it was stupid to think that anything bad would happen. And yet that sinking feeling still came, telling her it would be better off if she was late for her party. With that terrible feeling still wedged into the pit of her stomach, she turned into the alley and walked as quickly as she could. To ease her own fear, she began to loudly hum her favorite song, The Angel Song by Great White. Above her humming, she heard something rustle a big pile of cardboard boxes and she froze in fear, staring at it.

"Wh-who's there?" she managed to croak out. The rustler stood up and turned in surprise. It was a man about her age, maybe a little older. He was very good looking, it was almost stunning.

"Oh, my God. You scared the living daylights out of me! What are you doing down here this late at night?" he asked in a velvet voice.

"I could ask the same of you." the girl retorted. The man laughed.

"I'm on my way to a party and this is just the quickest way. I know...alleys. Gross, right?" he said.

"N-no. I'm on my way to a party, too. You going to the one down on the corner of 36th and C?" she asked.

"Yeah." the man grinned.

"What are you doing, going through the trash?" the girl asked.

"I dropped my wallet. What's your name?" he asked.

"Sophia Evanson."

"I'm Peter." the man said. "I think I know you from somewhere...I think I've seen you at school."

"You probably have. I don't exactly blend in." Sophia said with a weak smile. "Hey, do you think we should get going? We're gonna be late. You know...for the party?"

"Hold on." Peter said in a voice barely over a whisper. "I'm sorry...you're just so pretty. You probably aren't single, though." he said with a chuckle.

"N-no. I am." Sophia said, her voice cracking.

"Really?" Peter said thoughtfully. "Maybe...you and I could get together sometime. For...coffee, or something."

"This isn't happening." Sophia murmured. Peter took a few steps closer, but she didn't notice.

"What? Don't tell me you've never been asked out before. I would have thought a gorgeous girl like you would have to pick guys like me off every day." he said, but she didn't reply. "No? Well, I guess this is my lucky day." They were merely inches apart, now, and Sophia noticed.

"Hey, what are you doing?" she murmured. Now that he was this close, she could see clearly that his eyes were blacker than night.

"Why are you going to that party, anyway?" he asked, ignoring her. His lips were barely an inch from her ear.

"I'm meeting friends there, and I really think we should get going. We're already late." she whispered.

"I'm not going to a party." he whispered even lower than she did. "And neither are you. You aren't going anywhere."

"Hey, get away from me! I've got to go to..." Sophia started as she tried to pull away, but he was stronger.

"You aren't going anywhere." he repeated. He pulled her closer to him, and she gasped as his marble hard body was crushed against hers. He loosened his grip on her, just enough to stop the pain. Sophia was too scared to do anything, even scream. She stopped struggling to get free and the tears came. She had never felt so weak as she did now, with this stranger's arms wrapped around her.

"Please..." she begged. "Please, don't kill me."

"I'm going to try my hardest not to." he murmured.

"You're lying." she growled through tears.

"Please, believe me." now Peter was the one begging. "I'm just following orders. I really am truly sorry. I like you, Sophia. I like you a lot, and I hope with every fiber of my being that you get through this alive."

"Get through what alive?" Sophia asked, quieter than ever.

"I'm sorry." he repeated once more, and then he lowered his lips to her throat. She screamed at the top of her lungs as his teeth sank into the pulse in her neck. She didn't think it was possible, but only one word came to mind.

Vampire. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and, though her mouth was wide, no sound came out anymore. Peter's lips were still wrapped around her throat, his thirst almost quenched. He knew that if she was to live, he had to detach from her at once. His venom was now running through her veins in place of the lost blood, and he hoped that she would survive. Most of his other victims seemed so eager to have his lips to their throats, being at the peak of their hormone-crazed, rebellious teenage years. He hadn't given them a second thought, and none of them survived. This is what made him James' least useful companion, but he had nowhere else to go.

James was the one who changed him, and he had been a part of his coven ever since. To say the least, James thought of Peter as a useless vampire and often pondered the thought of just snapping his neck and getting him out of his hair. But Peter had convinced him to have this one last Halloween night to prove his skills and to earn his keep. He saw Sophia in the ally and saw her as his perfect opportunity; just another ditzy teenage girl whose life was practically over anyway. But then she spoke, and he saw that his original analysis of this girl no longer applied. He wasn't used to actually having his victims interested in him as a person, but only his godlike physical appearance. He knew, even after she had emotionally begun to grow on him, that he couldn't let her go.

He regretfully pulled away from her throat and looked at her face, seeing that she was soaked with sweat and that her eyes had rolled to the back of her head. Not thinking too much about what he'd done, he picked up her almost dead body in his arms and started off at breakneck speed towards what he hoped was Canada, so fast that he wasn't visible to the human eye. He would take her to James, and hopefully she would survive. She wasn't dead yet, but close to. If she survived, he knew this would be one Halloween night he would never forget.

::peace::love::music::


	2. Bridgette Candace Wilson

The next scene starts in the same place where we just left off; right in the heart of busy Manhattan. Now, it's the year nineteen ninety six, and it's Halloween yet again. It's quite the same scenario, but at the same time, very different. Let me take you away from the street corner where we met young Sophia Evanson down the street a few blocks to a nightclub, most generally meant for those who were over the age of eighteen. Our next character, however, is not one who usually goes by the rules, and the one about being over eighteen to enter this nightclub is no different.

We now meet seventeen year old Bridgette Wilson, a green-eyed, dark brown and bouncy curl haired girl who might as well had been born to party. On this Halloween night, we find her dressed in light blue, hip hugger jeans, an almost too small black tank top and her waist length hair flowing around her shoulders. She's wearing way too much eyeliner and shiny pink lip gloss, making her look at least three years older. She's waiting in line to be admitted into this nightclub without any of her usual friends, but she's sure to meet plenty of people tonight.

"I.D.?" the bulky man at the front door to the club said gruffly to her, looking at her over his black sunglasses. She flashed him a bright smile and dug around in her purse.

"Here ya go." she said, flashing him a card that if he took more than a few seconds to inspect he would find was fake.

"Thank you, miss. Go ahead in." he said, and she walked past him into the room filled with flashing lights. The music was already making her heart vibrate in her chest, and she danced her way over to the bar.

"Hey," she said, pounding her fist on the counter. The bartender came over to her. "I'm just gonna have a Sprite tonight; I gotta drive myself home." she smiled flirtatiously, lying through her teeth. She didn't drink, but she didn't want to seem weak. "And throw a couple cherries in at the bottom." she yelled over the music. She spun around in her stool to people watch as she waited for her drink. Nothing out of the ordinary, she concluded after a minute or so. There were a few good looking guys, but all the _really_ hot ones were already dancing close to other girls. Then she saw someone standing against the back wall, nodding his head along to the music, but avoiding dancing and people all together. And he was one of the most good looking guys in the whole room! Bridgette decided she would go up to him once she got her drink. She took it from the bartender once it came and paid for it, flashing him one more smile. She took a sip before hopping down from her stool.

She walked confidently over to the guy by the wall, keeping her bright smile and the wicked look in her eye the whole time.

"Waiting for someone?" she asked, yelling over the loud thumping of the music. He looked at her in shock that someone had spoken to him. He saw her and grinned.

"Yeah, I think I found her." he said. She looked at him in fake interest, even though she knew he was talking about her.

"Oh yeah? Who is she?" she asked, pretending to look around.

"My next girlfriend." he said smoothly. She laughed at the lame pick up line.

"Oh...what's she look like?" she asked, playing along.

"Long, beautiful brown hair, shining green eyes, a smile that would stop traffic, rockin' body, the works." he said casually, checking her out.

"She sounds pretty." Bridgette said. "What's her personality like?"

"I don't know yet, but I intend to find out soon." he smiled. She did, too.

"What's her name?" she asked.

"You tell me." he said, raising an eyebrow and smiling still. She laughed.

"Bridgette." she said.

"Bridgette." he repeated. "Yeah, sounds about right. I'm Peter." he said. "You wanna dance?" She grinned and took his hand, letting him spin her on to the dance floor. She set her drink down on a nearby table and took his other hand in hers.

"You're so cold." she observed as he held her closer. They started to dance to the medium paced song.

"Maybe you're just warm." he said insightfully, making her giggle.

"Maybe." She murmured.

"Hey, what are we doing here, anyway? You doing anything tonight?" he asked her.

"What do you have in mind?" Bridgette asked, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"I know a great place we can talk…that is, if you're up to it." He said.

"I'm up for anything." Bridgette grinned wickedly. She took his hand and followed him out a back door surrounded by a brick wall. "So where are we going?" she asked.

"You'll see." He said. "But first…" he pulled her closer to him and kissed her forehead. She shuddered at the cold and let him kiss his way down her face, from her nose, down to her lips. He paused for a moment there, letting Bridgette enjoy this while she could. He moved his way down her neck and found the pulse in her throat. He had to try his hardest to let her live for just a minute more.

"Are you nervous?" he asked her quietly, kissing the little spot on her neck that fluttered a mile a minute.

"A little." Bridgette managed, but lifted her head back further anyway. 'So naive,' Peter thought. Just like the rest…but somehow different. He had a soft spot for this one, too, and soft spots only happened for Peter once in a blue moon. 'Man,' he thought. 'She's going to be beautiful if she makes it through this alive. She would be anyway, but more than any of the others.' He kissed the pulse one more time before scraping his teeth across it, careful not to draw blood yet.

Bridgette squeaked at the shocking new feel of his teeth on her neck, but he didn't let that stop him. He sank his teeth skillfully into the pulse and she gave a piercing scream, but the pounding music inside and the rush of cars from the street was too loud and the sound barely stuck out. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, making the green iris no longer visible. Peter was only too used to this, and he had trained himself to pull away when his victim's lives were on barely a thread. This was only his second Manhattan kill, or whatever you want to call it. He took her over his shoulder and headed for the trees once more, moving again at lightning speed. He would find James and then they would relocate to a remote area of southern Alaska from their original location in Canada. This would be Peter's last east coast change, and he hoped it would be his last ever. He hated killing, but in his world, James' word was law, and if you didn't abide by it, you got the death sentence…or worse. Peter shuddered at the thought of what might happen to him if he didn't follow orders.


	3. Dallas Serina Ateara

Twelve years later, the scene opens on the fairly more cheerful setting of Nashville, Tennessee. A faded yellow school bus shuts its doors behind a girl of about sixteen and drives away along the dirt road into a cloud of dust. The girl stands in her place, looking at a light brown country house in which her mother was awaiting her return from her last day of sophomore year.

This girl has light brown hair with natural blonde highlights, dark brown eyes and an olive skin tone. She's of average beauty; not in the least bit ugly but not pretty enough to turn heads. She got her almost black eyes and wide smile from her father, a pure Quiluete Native American from the northwest peak of Washington. But her light brown hair and naturally tan skin that almost never burned came from her mother, who moved from Italy to America when she was eighteen, and then she met the girl's father.

She divorced him four years later, however, because he got absorbed in the Quiluete tribe's superstitious legends and it was too much for her to handle. She took her three-year-old daughter to Tennessee and went up to Washington for a month each year so the girl could visit with her father and brother, who was a year older than she, but the visits got farther and farther apart and soon ceased when she was six years old.

She couldn't remember much about her father and brother, but from what her mother told her, they, and their superstitious beliefs, sounded beyond annoying. She remembered the Washington reservation all to well, though, and could easily recall it's boring atmosphere.

Her father's house was musty and small, and he constantly had other tribe members over for dinner. There was absolutely nothing to do for a five year old girl, let alone any other child under the age of which they could drive to a nearby city and find other means of entertainment. She much preferred Tennessee to Washington, and her mother who had acquired a southern accent and friendly hospitality over the years.

The girl sighed a breath of relief; the same breath that everyone in her school had on that day because the end of the year, and made her way up the front porch stairs and in through the screen door, which slammed behind her.

"Momma! I'm home!" she called when she got inside to wherever her mother might be.

"Dallas? Honey, could you come in here for a sec?" her mother called from the kitchen. Dallas set her bag down on the couch in the living room before finding her mother in the kitchen at the stove, stirring something in a big pot.

"Yeah, Mom?" she said.

"How was your last day of school?" her mother asked conversationally.

"Good." Dallas shrugged. "I'm so glad it's finally over."

"That's nice." Her mother nodded, and then it was silent.

"Is…there something else you wanted to say, or can I go?" Dallas asked, raising her eyebrows.

"No, there's something else." Her mother said hesitantly. "Um…"

"What's wrong?" Dallas asked, suddenly concerned. Usually her mother had no problem saying what was on her mind.  
"Nothin'! Everything's fine…it's just…. oh, you're not going to like me after I say this…" her mother said, going from talking to Dallas to talking to herself under her breath.

"What?" Dallas asked again.

"Um… how would you like to visit your dad and your brother for a month this summer?" her mother finally said, all in one breath.

"I'd rather gouge out my eyeballs with a hot iron rod. Why do you ask?" Dallas said sweetly. Her mother wrinkled her nose at that comment, but shook her head and ignored it anyway.

"Okay, let me rephrase that. Sweetheart, you're goin' to visit your dad and brother for a month this summer."

"Why?" Dallas growled.

"Because you haven't seen them for ten years and it would be good for y'all to catch up. I talked to your dad about it already and he said things are a little crazy up in the La Push area right now, but he'd love to have you."

"What did he mean by 'a little crazy'?" Dallas said in the same growl.

"Apparently Quil's got himself quite a group of friends up there now, and it'll be good for you to meet more people your age." Her mother went on, ignoring her still.

"I have friends here." Dallas growled.

"I know you do, honey. But still…" her mother trailed off, then pulled herself together and smiled. "I bought your ticket online yesterday and your flight leaves tomorrow at noon, so you should probably pack your stuff sometime tonight."

"Tomorrow?" Dallas cried. "Are you _trying_ to ruin my life?"

"How is a simple visit with your dad ruining your life, Dallas?" her mother asked, putting the hand that was holding the wooden stirring spoon on her hip.

"You know how much I hate Washington. I have to go by myself?" Dallas asked.

"I don't have the money to send us both down there right now. Your father is going to reimburse me half the money when you come home." She replied. "Why don't you go upstairs and cool down and I'll yell up when it's time for dinner."

"Urgh!" Dallas groaned loudly, and stomped her way up the stairs as loudly as she could. She slammed her bedroom door and threw herself onto the bed, face down, and didn't move until her mother called her down for dinner.

----

"I hate my life." Dallas Ateara muttered to herself the next morning as she untidily threw her clothes into a huge suitcase that her mother had dug up for her from their previous trips to Washington. She stuffed a few of her classic novels and notebooks in on the top next to her everyday toiletries and sat on the top to zipper it shut. In her carry-on bag were a few more books, her ipod, her cell phone, digital camera, a few cosmetics and a lime green fleece blanket from her bed so she could hold on to the 'home' smell for just a while longer.

"Dallas, honey? Are you about ready to go?" her mother called up the stairs.

"I'll never be ready." Dallas said icily under her breath.

"What was that, sweetheart?" her mother called.

"Yes, Mom." Dallas yelled back, and pulled her suitcase off her bed and dragging it and her carry-on toward the door with her. She took one last look around the room before pulling her stuff to the stairs and pushing it down. She padded down the stairs behind it and picked it up after it landed with a _thunk _at the bottom. Her mother helped her put them in the trunk of the car once they were outside.

The conversation on the way to the airport was one-ended; her mother was trying to make small talk and apologizing every now and then, but all she got for responses were 'uh huh's, 'yeah's, and 'whatever's. At the airport, however, Dallas hugged her mother tightly and had to fight back tears.

"You have a good trip, now. You hear?" her mother said, wiping a tear from her own eye. "I'm gonna miss you."

"I'm gonna miss you, too, Momma." Dallas said.

"I want you to call me every night or two to check in and tell me how you're doin', all right?"

"Okay, Momma, I will." Dallas said.

"I'll see you in a month. I love you."

"Love you too, Momma." Dallas turned and waved from the ticket checkpoint before heading down the long, gray hallway to the plane.

She found her seat, which was located in next to the window and two businesswomen dressed in pinstriped skirts and blazers with laptops balanced on their knees. She forced a smile at them and settled down in her seat with one of her favorite books.

She was dressed quite comfortably for the flight in one of her favorite outfits; broken in, light blue jeans, a white t-shirt under a brown and white plaid western style button up, her favorite brown cowboy boots and a cowboy hat hanging around her neck, which she took off when she sat down and set in her lap. Anyone on the plane would automatically think of her as a true Tennessee girl, and she would stick out like a sore thumb in Washington. She didn't want the attention, but she did want to rebel. The last thing she wanted was to fit in with _them_.

When the plane landed, Dallas put her book back in her carry-on and left behind the two businesswomen. She walked along a similar gray corridor to the Seattle airport and looked around for her dad and brother once she found her suitcase on the conveyor belt. The only way they would know what she looked like was from her sophomore school picture, which her mother had mailed down when they came in back in October. She finally saw them; a man in his early forties looking around over the tops of people's heads standing next to a tall, muscular boy about her age who was talking quietly to the man, most likely trying to tell him details of the picture so he would know what to look for.

Dallas took a deep breath and waved slightly at them; the man who was her father's eyes lit up as he made his way through the crowd, the boy who was Quil not far behind.

"Dallas, sweetheart!" her father said, pulling her into a backbreaking hug. "Look how grown up you are!"

"Hi, Dad." Dallas said, patting him awkwardly on the back.

"So you're the sister I haven't seen in ten years." Quil grinned at her. She smiled weakly, but Quil and her father registered it as a shy smile.

"You're gonna love it here, I promise." Her father said. "Quil's gonna introduce you to all of his friends that pretty much live at our house anyway." He teased, shoving Quil playfully.

"Yeah, you'll love the guys. Like me, they're all huge and look kinda intimidating, but on the inside they're just a bunch of softies." Quil said with a grin. Dallas just nodded.

"We've fixed up your old room for you; put a bigger bed in there and added a desk for all your stuff, and you still got your old dresser. So when we get back to the house, you can unpack your stuff and make yourself at home." Her dad said. "A little later I've got a pretty big barbeque planned as a sort of welcome home party for you."

"Oh, Dad, you didn't have to-" Dallas started.

"No, I wanted to. Everyone's gonna be there, and we do this all the time anyway. It'll be fun, I promise." He said. There was no more room for Dallas to protest. He put his hand on her back and she thought she saw Quil snicker at her obvious discomfort. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's head on home."

----

A/N- Hey guys! I'm finally back, and will be posting a little more often now. Thanks for giving this one a try; it's gonna be one of those 'you love it or you hate it' kind of deals. I hope for the best!

**Love you with all of my heart, .**


	4. A Change In Fate

-Flashback- (Mid 1900's)

It was raining.

Jasper Hale opened his umbrella as it poured harder, for that was the human thing to do. But Jasper Hale was anything but human. He avoided the eyes of other people on the street as he walked quickly on the sidewalk with no specified destination.

He walked still, even as lightning flashed above him followed by the _boom_ of the thunder. Other people did the more human thing and darted into cars parked on the side of the road or into apartment buildings on side streets. But on Jasper walked, without knowing where he was going to end up.

Suddenly, he stopped, without knowing why. Looking to his right, he saw the entrance to a coffee shop that looked very warm, even though temperature no longer affected him. He was permanently cold as stone. Still, he turned on his heel and shut his umbrella before entering the café, not exactly knowing why he was there. He glanced around nervously as the bell on the door chimed when it slammed shut, and a few people glanced his way, but only one got up.

She was short, with a dark brown pixie haircut and white, chalky skin much like his own. Her eyes lit up when she saw him and she danced her way from her stool over to the door. When she got closer to him, he noticed that her eyes were a dark gold color, almost black. Her voice sounded like wind chimes when she spoke.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time, Jasper Hale." She said. He looked at her, clearly confused.

"Who are you?" he asked.  
"I'm Alice. We don't know each other, but we will very soon." She said. Then she turned her eyes to the ceiling, as if trying to remember something. "We will be very close…lovers?" At this point, Jasper backed away from her slightly, still looking at her like she had three heads. "No," she continued. "I will love you, and you will love me, but more like siblings. I can see…" she was murmuring to herself. "We will be something like adopted cousins. I will never love you in a romantic way. No…there is another girl in your future…she will be a part of our family as well.

Our future is bright, Jasper. So, are you ready to go to Washington?" she asked, finally addressing him.

"What the _hell_ are you talking about?" Jasper asked in almost a whisper, raising his eyebrow. Alice giggled.

"Oh, you know. Come, walk with me." She said, grabbing his arm and pulling him back into the rain.

----

"So let me get this straight." Jasper said as he continued to walk with Alice. "You can tell the future?"

"For the most part." Alice nodded.

"I thought I was the only one." Jasper murmured.

"The only vampire?" Alice asked. Jasper winced at the word.

"No. I knew there were others; I associated with others. I thought I was the only one with another ability: my ability to control emotions." He said.

"Oh." Alice said. "I thought that I was the only one at one point, too. But then I saw you, and I saw our family, and I knew the truth. They have special abilities, too."

"Our family?" Jasper echoed. Family. A familiar word, but one he hadn't heard in a while. He liked the sound of it; it sounded safe.

"Yes, the Cullens. They live in Washington, where we must go." Alice said. "Do you trust me?" she asked.

"Yes." Jasper said, but he wasn't sure yet if that was true.

"Then follow me, keep up, and don't look back." She said, flashed him a smile, and broke into a run. Jasper hesitated, but followed her nonetheless to his…their…his and Alice's…new life.

-End Flashback-

----

-Flashback- (2007)

Forks High School. Population: 357… now 358. Isabella Swan followed a girl whose name she had already forgotten to lunch on her first day at this new school. She sat down at the table between the girl she came with and a boy who she barely got a glance at. The girl introduced Bella to everyone at the table, but she forgot their names as well. She glanced around the small cafeteria, people watching, until one group in particular caught her eye. They weren't paying attention to what was going on outside their small group, so it was safe to stare.

There were four girls and three boys, Bella observed, all dressed elaborately and all very attractive. So alike, yet so different. There was a long, blonde haired girl, a short girl with a brown pixie cut, a girl with a platinum blonde bob and a girl with waist length, bouncy curls and straight across bangs. The boys were all different as well; one with honey blond hair, another with short, curly brown hair and the last with untidy bronze hair. But they all had the same, dark eyes.

"Who are _they_?" Bella asked the girl whose name she remembered was Jessica. Jessica looked up and smiled when she saw whom Bella was referring.

"The bronze haired boy is Edward, and his brother is the curly brown haired one named Emmett. Alice is the one with the pixie and Sophia is the short blonde haired one. They're Edward and Emmett's sisters, all the Cullens. Then you've got the Hales; Jasper, the gold-ish haired one who looks like he's in pain, his twin sister Rosalie, the blonde one who looked like she walked out of the swimsuit edition of _Sports Illustrated_, and Bridgette, the one with long, brown hair." Jessica said, pointing to each in turn.

"They're very…nice looking." Bella said, though it was an understatement.

"I know." Jessica sighed. "They're all _together_, though. Edward and Bridgette, Emmett and Rosalie, Jasper and Sophia."

"Oh." Bella said. "So…Edward and Bridgette…" she trailed off, embarrassed. She hoped Jessica would get what she was trying to say. Thankfully, she did. Jessica laughed slightly.

"Yeah. They're _very_ serious. I would get that thought out of your head while you can." She said.

"Oh." Bella said again. Jessica proceeded to tell her more about the Cullens and the Hales, and she listened for the most part.

After lunch, Bella made her way to Biology, which she had with Edward. He politely greeted her 'hello' and introduced himself when the teacher made them lab partners. After class, a male voice came from behind Bella.

"Aren't you Isabella Swan?" he asked. Bella turned to see a cute, baby faced boy with hair gelled carefully into spikes.

"Bella, actually." She corrected him with a smile.

"Bella." The boy grinned. "I'm Mike. Mike Newton."


	5. Warning

**A/N- Hello! Um, just something I thought I'd mention… that last chapter was full of flashbacks, but chapter three and this chapter both take place toward the beginning of New Moon. And here are just a few things I thought I'd clear up:**

**Yes, I am fully aware that Quil lives with his **_**grandfather**_**, Quil Sr., but **_**father**_** fit more into my fanfiction. **

**Yes, I am also aware that Twilight takes place back when it was written in 2005, but I'm changing that, too. This is for the most part present tense, but time doesn't really matter. **

**Okay, that's about it for now. Hope you like this!**

(Present)

"Dallas?" Quil Sr. called up the stairs. "Is that room gonna be all right?" he asked.

"Yeah, Dad. It's great." Dallas called down. She put the last of her clothes in the dresser of her new room for a month. It was somewhat familiar; it was her room when she was a baby and also where she stayed up until the time she was six. There was a twin bed in one corner, a small desk in another. The floors were a cream colored carpet and the walls were dark wood boards; it reminded Dallas of a refurnished camp cabin. The one window, accented with blue curtains, looked over First Beach not a half a mile away. Everything else was just dirt roads and the woods out in the back of the house, as well as other houses.

At this point, Dallas despised her mother for sending her here. And on such short notice; she didn't have time to say goodbye to any of her friends, or to make a run for it. Her dad seemed nice enough, and Quil… she would have to judge him later. The barbeque later that evening would have ample time for assessment.

Much to Dallas's dislike, she didn't stick out as much as she'd hoped. It turns out that the people on the reservation dressed in simple, blue jeans and cotton shirts much like the few plaid ones she had packed with her. And when she got inside the house, she saw a cowboy hat that belonged to her father hanging on a hook by the door. There was nothing she could do about it now, and now that she thought about it, she didn't want to be an outsider while she was here. It would be more impressive to show that she could easily adjust to their lifestyle. Anyway, what could be so hard to adjust to? It was an Indian reservation, for crying out loud. The most fun they probably had were little cheesy campfires where they would tell fake ghost stories, or the lame barbeque her father had planned for that night.

Dallas took one look around her new room and decided it had been personalized enough, so she kicked off her boots and went downstairs.

"There you are, Dallas." Her father said when she got downstairs into the kitchen. He was shaping clumps of meat into burgers with Quil at his side. "Why don't you go wash your hands and we'll put you to work?" she did as she was told, flipped her hair into a ponytail and stood by his side for further instructions. "You can just help us shape these burgers for now. There's a lot, so we've got to get moving." He said.

"What are you doing, feeding an army?" Dallas asked without thinking, widening her eyes at the amount of meat that was on the counter. Quil Sr. exchanged a look with his son and they both smirked.

"No, worse. Quil's friends." He said. Quil let out a bark of laughter, and Dallas smiled a little and got to work.

An hour or so later, it was about five o clock in the evening and the sun was setting down under the water at First Beach. Dallas had helped her brother and father shape about forty burgers, toss two mixing bowls of green salad, stack packet after packet of franks, and fill a few coolers full of various sodas. Now Quil was wiping down the counter, and their father was washing his hands free of all the food ingredients it had accumulated over the past few hours. When he was done, he wiped them on the leg of his jeans and clapped them together, announcing the completion of the preparation round for this epic barbeque. Quil and Dallas let out a breath of relief and Quil went to lounge in front of the television, but his father stopped him in mid step.

"Come on, let's head out to the beach to see who can help us carry all this down." He said, and Quil groaned before tromping to the front door, knowing his father did not like repeating himself. Dallas followed him with her father bringing up the back to close the door.

----

"So, Dallas." Quil said on the way to the beach. Their father said he was going to go see if Billy could help set up the grill for the first time of the season. Who Billy was, Dallas didn't know. "How do you like La Push so far?"

"Eh, it's okay." Dallas shrugged.

"Just okay?"

"Well, there's nothing to do, for one. I don't know anyone but you and Dad for two and for three, I don't really like the idea of spending a month halfway across the country with two people who have barely acknowledged mom's presence or mine for the past ten years, no offence." She said, casting an apologetic look his way.

"Hey, me and my friends find fun things to do here. You'll love it by the time you have to leave, I promise." Quil grinned. "I'll introduce you to everyone. There are my two best friends, Embry and Jacob, and then there are the Clearwater kids who we don't know too well, but they seem nice enough. Jared, Paul, and then of course good ol' Sam Uley. And about the whole me and my dad not talking to you thing…well, I'm really sorry about that. I think having a sister is really cool. I want to make up for the years we didn't spend time with you while you're here." Quil finished, looking over at Dallas sincerely. She just smiled slightly and kept her eyes focused on her feet. When they reached the beach, Dallas got her first glimpse of La Push natives outside her family.

There were four boys about hers and Quil's age, tossing a Frisbee up and down the sand. They all had the same dark tan skin and nicely toned muscles that Quil had. Some were sporting blue jeans, others were wearing basketball shorts. A couple had stripped off their t-shirts that were now laying in the sand, and there was a pile of scattered shoes by a bench. Quil grinned and jogged over to them; they stopped throwing the Frisbee to slap high fives with Quil and to glance over at Dallas curiously.

"Hey, guys." Quil said. "Hey, there's someone you gotta meet. Dallas, c'mere." Dallas walked slowly over to her brother. "Guys, this is my sister Dallas. Dallas, this is Jared, Paul, Embry and Jacob." He said, pointing to each boy in turn. Dallas waved shyly.

"Nice to meet you." She said quietly.

"She's up here from Tennessee to stay with me and my dad…er…our dad for a month. So she can hang out with us, right?"

"Yeah, sure." The boy named Jared grinned. He had short, cropped black hair and was wearing a pair of blue jeans.

"So…Tennessee, huh?" Quil's friend Embry said. "This has got to be somewhat different, right?"

"You have no idea. I haven't seen one Starbucks or the sun shining since we were in Seattle. I think I might die." Dallas said, being completely serious. The five boys laughed anyway.

"We have diners around here to get coffee and things, but if you want Starbucks, you gotta go up to Seattle for the nearest one." Embry said.

"Yeah, Jake could drive us if you want." Quil said, shoving Jake playfully. Dallas turned her eyes to the long haired boy wearing a gray t shirt and blue jean shorts, who stumbled slightly from Quil's push. In Dallas' opinion, Jake was the best looking one of them all, but the cocky smile on his lips made her wrinkle her nose in disgust slightly the way she had when she saw similar smiles on the lips of Tennessee boys.

"You don't look old enough to drive." she commented.

"I just got my license. I'm sixteen." Jake said.

"Yeah, now he can drive _legally._" Embry said, and the five boys laughed. Dallas forced herself not to roll her eyes.

"Hey, my dad needs some help bringing the food and grill down here. Come help me so we can eat." Quil said, turning back up the beach.

"Food!" Jared roared, jumping on Quil before running past him towards the Ateara house. Quil sprinted off behind him, then Embry and Paul ran to catch up. Only Jake stayed to walk with Dallas.

"Aren't you going to go race with your friends? You know, isn't it like some sort of male need to always be the 'alpha of the pack', so to speak?" she asked him. Jake let out a bark of laughter.

"Interesting choice of words." he said, still snickering. "If I wanted to, I could blow by them all even with this much of a head start." he added with a shrug. Dallas didn't bother try to hold back an eye roll this time, but just let it come. Jake wasn't watching. "So what has old Quil mixed up for the barbeque tonight?" he asked.

"Burgers, hot dogs, salads, soda." Dallas replied.

"Nice." Jake and Dallas watched Jared pummel Quil into the sand and Paul trip over him face first. Now it was Jake's turn to roll his eyes. "I'll catch up with you later tonight, huh?" he said, and then sprinted off behind his friends with speed that Dallas couldn't help but marvel at. Just as he'd promised, he blew by the others as they scrambled to beat him back to Dallas' new home…for the moment.

----

It was later on that night, pitch dark, and Dallas sat on a tree trunk holding her can of diet coke. She sat by herself, watching everyone else. She met other people but didn't really remember who they were, other than Quil's friends who she had met earlier. She tried her best, but there were just too many of them. She jumped slightly when her father spoke.

"Okay, if they boys would settle down for a minute, I think we're about ready to sit around the campfire and tell stories. Quil, sit down! Embry, don't torment Jared, please. Thank you." he said. Dallas laughed slightly as she took a seat beside Quil on a log closer to the fire. Jake sat next to her, and the other three boys sat in front of them.

"I see Quil's friends are making you feel right at home." Her father said with a grin. Dallas smiled a little.

"All right, who wants to go first?" the man Dallas learned was Billy and also Jake's father said. Jake grinned.

"Three blonde models walk into a bar-" he started, but Billy gave him a glare that said more clearly than words to shut up. Dallas' father stood up to speak, and the laughter that Jake received died down as everyone turned their attention to Old Quil, who had closed his eyes. The fire crackled in front of him dramatically and he took a deep breath before he began to speak.

"Long ago," he began in a raspy voice. "The Quiluete tribe was-" he stopped suddenly and looked to the woods on the other side of the beach from the ocean. "did anyone else hear that?" Dallas listened closely and jumped when she heard something rustle in the bushes. She felt Quil jump slightly beside her and Jake made a move to stand on the other.

"Jacob, no." Old Quil said sharply. "stay where you are."

"Who's there?" Billy barked at the moving bushes. At the sound of his voice, whatever was moving emerged from the trees. It was a boy, seventeen or eighteen years of age. He was covered in dirt and his clothes were tattered.

"Who are you?" the young man named Sam Uley barked, standing up. Jake and Quil stood up, too, ignoring the looks they got from their fathers. Dallas shrank back into their shadows.

"My name is Peter, and I mean you no harm. If I told you what I am, I know I will no longer be welcome here, and with saying that, I think you now must have some idea. But I am here to warn you from something that you would otherwise have no warning against." he said. Dallas noticed Quil and Jake share a look of hatred for the newcomer, which made her glance to see her father's reaction. He had the same hatred in his eyes, but said nothing.

"Say what you came to say, vamp, and then leave." he growled. "You should have never set foot on Quiluete land in the first place, and I'm in my right mind to kill you. Final judgment will be made when we hear what you have to say." Dallas was shocked when her father said this to Peter and to Billy and the other adults. Did he literally mean 'kill' him? She hadn't ever seen her father as a man to kill anyone. What was going on?

"My former clan leader, James, is planning something terrible. He has this idea set into his head that if he can get his clan members to change the children of the moon into vampires, he can create a new super-species. It's a truly heinous plan that he isn't even sure it will work. If it doesn't, many members of your pack and his clan could die. Even if they try, the humans in this area are no longer safe. There are many newborns in his clan that have never tasted human blood before. Once they get the scent, there's almost no stopping them. How many of your pack have changed?" Peter said breathlessly.

"That isn't your business. How do I know you aren't a spy, huh? Get off our land before I change my mind about not killing you." Old Quil yelled. Peter turned to walk back through the forest.

"I'm going to consult the Cullens down in Forks. I suggest you do the same." he said, and then he was gone.


	6. Children of the Moon

The mood was clearly different after the man had left; the fire still crackled but left an eerie aura around those who watched it in silence, trying to comprehend exactly what had just happen. Emotions were running high and with a wide variety between age group and those more educated to this sort of thing; Dallas was the most confused out of the entire group, not knowing what to say. Her father was the first one to take action on the situation, and she was ready to listen to just about any voice of reason.

"Billy, put the fire out. Sam, take these six back to my house and then return here so we can discuss what just happened. I don't want any of you to leave the house until we get back." Old Quil said, referring to Dallas, Quil and his friends. Dallas was too much in shock to speak. She rose robotically when Jared and Paul did; Jake, Quil and Embry were already on their feet.

But Dad! We aren't kids anymore; we can help!" Quil protested.

"No, Quil. You are still much to young. Go home with Dallas and the others and make sure you fill her in on as much as you can." Old Quil said sharply.

"But-"

"Go!" Old Quil barked, and Quil followed Sam up the moonlit beach, grumbling. The other boys and Dallas went as well; Dallas hurried to catch up to her brother.

"Quil…Quil!" she said, finally matching his long strides at a jog. "What the hell is going on?"

"Later." he snapped. Annoyed, Dallas slowed her pace to a walk and folded her arms over her chest.

"He's just stressed." she heard a voice say in her ear. Looking up, she saw it was Jake.

"Are…are there really vampires?" she asked him quietly.

"Yep." Jake replied. Dallas' head went slightly numb.

"And that man…he was one?" she asked.

"Yep."

"Oh."

"Are you okay?" Jake asked her.

"This is crazy…I've got to go home." she said, shaking her head.

"It might be for the best." Jake nodded. "For your safety. Too bad…we could have had fun." Dallas didn't respond for a minute or so.

"The…vampire…he mentioned something about 'The Children of the Moon'…what did he mean by that?" she asked Jake.

"Wow, you don't miss anything, do you?" Jake chuckled. "Wait until we get inside…we'll explain all we can then. But as for what the vampire said…you know as much as we do about that." Dallas nodded and was silent until they reached her father and brother's house. Sam made sure they all got inside, reminded them again not to leave until he and the adults got back and then he was gone.

"Hey, Dallas said to Quil, shoving him in the chest toward the couch in the living room. Her efforts didn't budge him, but he sat down on his own free will. "Explanation. Now. All of you." she glanced around the room at the five boys, trying to let her annoyance shine through to them as much as possible.

"What do you want to know?" Quil asked calmly.

"What is 'The Children of the Moon'?" Dallas asked.

"You wouldn't believe it, even if we told you." Quil said.

"Try me."

"The Children of the Moon are…well…you won't truly understand unless we show you. Should we?" Embry asked Quil He nodded. Jake grinned.

"Can I?" he asked Quil, who nodded a second time.

"Follow me." he said to his sister, and pulled her towards the door. Embry, Jared, Jake and Paul followed. Once they were all on the porch, Jared handed Jake a pair of jeans and he strapped them to his leg with hardly any struggle, despite his large and clumsy looking hands.

"Try to be mature about this, okay Jake?" Jared said. Jake just flashed him a winning smile and cleared the porch steps in one jump.

"Be ready for anything, and don't scream." Quil advised Dallas, and held her by the shoulders. "This should explain any questions you have about the Children of the Moon."

It all happened so quickly; one minute Jake was standing in front of them with a big grin on his face, and the next was a flash of ripped jeans and then, in Jake's place, was a large, terrifying looking dog. Dallas tried not to scream as all of the ideas in her head pieced themselves together:

Werewolf.

"Y…you…what…the hell…he…Jake was…and now he's…is that…a…_is he laughing at me?_" Dallas said furiously. The giant wolf was letting out breathy barks that indeed sounded like laughs. The other boys were trying desperately to hold back smirks.

"Do you get it now?" Quil asked her.

"So…the Children of the Moon…means werewolf? And Jake is one?" she confirmed.

"We all are." Quil replied. Dallas looked in horror at every boy in turn and then finally at Jake in wolf form; he spread his large mouth into a grin that showed every shining, pointy tooth and ran off into the woods.

"Where is he going?" Dallas asked exasperatedly.

"To change back. He needs to put his jeans on, you know." Paul said.

"Right." Dallas nodded. It was best just to play along for now. The other four boys snickered.

"Let's get back inside…we shouldn't be out here." Jared said, and led everyone back into the house. Dallas sat on the couch and Quil sat next to her.

"You okay?" He asked. She nodded shakily.

"So…you all are werewolves, am I right?" she asked. Quil nodded.

"Okay…I am definitely dreaming…well, more like having a nightmare right now, but okay." she said. The screen door swung open a second later and Jake glided in, sitting on the couch between Quil and Dallas.

"Miss me?" he grinned, draping his arms around the both of them. Dallas tensed, and Jake chuckled, removing his arm from her shoulders.

"Any other questions?" Quil asked his sister. She thought for a moment.

"Who are the Cullens?" she asked. The boys exchanged glances before Jacob spoke.

"The Cullens are the vampire coven down in Forks." he explained.

"Forks?' Dallas asked.

"A town about a half an hour away." Quil said.

"And…the vampires..?" Dallas said, unsure of what she was asking.

"They claim to be different than normal vampires; the live off animal blood instead of human blood." Jake said, but the way he wrinkled his nose clearly said that his opinion of them was not swayed because of this fact.

"Which reminds me…how come that bloodsucker down at the beach didn't smell her?" Embry asked, pointing at Dallas. "She's only human, and he would have surely caught on to her scent, no matter how many of up there were."

"I was afraid of that too…" Quil murmured. "I don't know why he didn't catch on, but she's all right, so we shouldn't worry about that too much right now." Before anyone could say anything in agreement, Quil jumped and held up his hand for silence, as though he was listening for something. Everyone else stopped to listen as well, and at first, Dallas didn't hear anything. But then, the sound of footsteps thundered outside. They were quick; one, two, three, four, five, and then the front door shook threateningly. It seemed as though someone was trying to get inside, but luckily, the door was locked.

Dallas screamed and pulled her feet onto the couch and held herself in the fetal position as the door continued to shake, threatening to come off the hinges. She pressed herself into Jake's side, her face buried into her knees, moving herself as far from the door as possible. Then, as soon as it had begun, the shaking stopped.

Quil walked quickly to the front door, undid the lock and opened the door, but there was no one there. However, an envelope was where the intruder must have been on the welcome mat. He picked it up and went back into the living room and Dallas dared to look up slowly, settling down and moving a little farther from Jake, slightly embarrassed.

"Does this happen often here?" she asked in a small voice, eyes wide in fear. But her question was ignored as her brother slid his finger under the opening of the envelope and everyone gathered around to read. The letter inside was on the finest stationery and written in beautiful calligraphy. It read:

_Ateara Family-_

_Due to recent events and circumstances, my family and I would like to ask your allowance of the lifting of our treaty so we might meet to discuss what must happen to ensure the safety of our families and loved ones. If you agree, please meet me and my family with as many of yours as you wish tomorrow night at midnight on the east Forks border. _

_Sincerely, Carlisle Cullen_

----

**A/N- I am so dearly sorry for the long wait! I was having the worst computer troubles, but I should be updating at least once every two weeks now. Hope this chapter is as good as the last ones! **


	7. That's My Sister

Carlisle and Esme Cullen, happy parents of seven adopted children. Well, to the outside world anyway. A vampire coven of nine was an aberration; it just wasn't done, but they all managed to live in peace together. This night wasn't much different from any other; the doctor and his wife sat on the couch and listened to their son Edward play the piano, the love of his existence by his side, giggling and pressing random keys in a flirtatious manner.

"Bridgette, love, you're making playing the song a little more difficult than it needs to be." He murmured in her ear lovingly. Bridgette sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist, smiling to herself.

Edward's sister Alice danced gracefully around the room to her brother's song, completely in her own world. His brother Emmett was trapped on the couch next to his parents by his Rosalie, who was perched on his lap with no intention of moving. Rosalie's brother Jasper sat on the white-carpeted floor with Sophia, who showed up with Bridgette on the Cullen's doorstep five years before. Just like Alice had promised, the one he was meant to be with had found him at last.

Suddenly, Alice stopped dancing and a look of confusion came over her face.

"Carlisle, are you expecting company?" she asked in her wind chime voice.

"No, why?" Carlisle responded, but his question was answered a second later with the doorbell. He rose, walking swiftly to the door. Opening it, he saw a man dressed in all black with dark gold eyes.

"Carlisle Cullen, I presume?" the man whom Carlisle recognized immediately as a vampire said. He nodded. "MY name is Peter. I have news for you that I know you and your family would want to hear. May I come in?" he asked. Carlisle walked back into the living room as an answer, Peter not far behind.

"Everyone, this is Peter. H e says he has some information he wishes to share with us, so would you please give him your full attention?" Carlisle told his family. Eight pairs of golden eyes focused on him then, but Peter stepped back in shock when he recognized two of them.

Bridgette and Sophia, the only two girls he had managed to change without killing, there in front of him. Internally thankful that they had escaped James' fate for them, he relaxed and began to speak. He told them exactly what he had told the La Push werewolves, and then waited for a reaction.

"He's bluffing." Emmett said, rolling his eyes. "An obvious trap."

"Emmett, please." Carlisle said, silencing him.

"He's not bluffing." Edward said. Bridgette tightened her grip on his waist.

"Why should we care what this James guy does to mutts? It doesn't concern us." Rosalie said.

"Theoretically, this new species that James will create can wipe out ours altogether." Peter said simply.

"See why we should care now, Rose?" Edward said. Rosalie said nothing.

"I suggest you consult the La Push werewolves as soon as you can, as I did." Peter said.

"That's a fantastic idea!" Rosalie said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "I might pass out from the stench." She sneered.

"Rosalie." Carlisle said pointedly. "We will." He added to Peter. With that, Peter took one last look around the room, pausing at Sophia and Bridgette, then showed himself to the door and was gone.

----

"Emmett's home." Alice said, spinning through the foyer. It had been just about an hour since Peter's visit to them, and after a long discussion, they decided to send Emmett with notes requesting a meeting with the La Push wolf families.

"Classic." Emmett muttered to himself over laughter, coming in through the front door.

"Did you leave the notes?" Carlisle asked him.

"Yep." Emmett grinned.

"Do you know if they got them?"

"Oh yeah, the Ateara's got it just as I was leaving." He said, grinning more widely. Edward chuckled.

"Now was that really necessary?" he asked his brother.

"No, but it was fun." Emmett laughed.

"What did you do?" Sophia groaned, leaning on Jasper exasperatedly.

"I got to the Black's house and no one was home, so I just slid the note under the door. I heard quiet talking coming from the Ateara place, though, so I ran to the front door, making one hell of a racket. Then I grabbed hold of the doorknob and shook the door like crazy. It trembled the whole house! But then I heard one girl scream bloody murder so I felt bad and stopped, put the envelope on the doormat and took off." Emmett said, still grinning. Carlisle gave him a pointed look, but smiled nonetheless.

"Do you think they'll come?" Bridgette asked. "I mean, they're werewolves. The chances of them wanting to talk to us are slim to none."

"If they're smart, they'll come." Carlisle said.

"They'll come." Alice assured them, and the pensive look on her face put everyone's doubts to rest. As Jasper assisted her in calming their emotions, the piano started back up and everything else was silent.

----

"Dallas, can you go upstairs and get some quilts and pillows? I don't think Dad will be home tonight." Quil asked his sister. She nodded and went upstairs. When she was gone, Quil sighed. "I don't know what we're going to do with her." He said.

"She should go home as soon as she can. Before tomorrow night, if possible." Jake said quietly.

"What, you don't like her, Jake?" Quil grinned, despite the circumstances.

"No, I do, and that's why I said it. She shouldn't be here if bloodsuckers are going to be. You know our fathers, Quil, and they're going to agree to work with the Cullens. I know they say they don't kill humans, but if they smell her blood…I just don't trust them." Jake said.

"Aw, c'mon Jake. She'll be fine. We'll take care of her…she only just got here. And what about that other leech? _He_ didn't smell her." Embry said.

"What if that was the only one? I don't want to…we shouldn't take any chances." Jacob said.

"Dude…did you imprint on her?" Paul asked. The other four boys snapped their heads to look at him. Jacob laughed nervously.

"No, man! Trust me, if I had, you would've known about it a long time ago." He assured them all that he had no wolf bond to Dallas. "Part of me wishes I did, though." He added on a murmur.

"Dude, that's my sister!" Quil said, shoving Jake off the couch. Paul, Jared and Embry howled with laughter.

"She _is_ pretty fine, man." Jared said.

"She's _damn_ fine! Jake, I'm jealous. She's definitely into you." Embry said.  
"Guys, c'mon! Stop that!" Quil said, burying his face in his hands. "This is _so_ not what I asked for." He muttered.

"So…she leaves tomorrow, right?" Jake said, desperately changing the subject.

"I dunno, Jake. It's up to my dad if he thinks she should leave or not." Quil said.

"If who leaves?" Dallas said, coming down the stairs with her small arms filled with blankets and pillows. Jacob jumped up and bounded up the stairs, taking her load with little to no struggle. She raised her eyebrows at him but grabbed another smaller pile at her feet and followed him down the stairs. Jared, Paul and Embry snickered; Quil palmed his face and groaned.

"What?" Dallas asked, and rolled her eyes at the silence she got for a response. "Whatever…I'm going to bed. I guess I'll see you guys in the morning…" she said, and turned to go back up the stairs. But before she could climb to the third step, the lock on the door turned, making them all jump and Dallas let out another scream, and she fell down the stairs that she had managed to climb. It was only Old Quil, Billy Black and Sam, home much earlier than anticipated.

"Dad!" Dallas yelled. "Don't do that!" she said. Old Quil smiled wearily as Dallas scrambled to her feet and ran over to him. "I want to go home." She said, hugging him around the waist. "This is madness!"

"You told her?" Old Quil asked the boys over Dallas' shoulder, patting her back reassuringly.

"How could you tell?" Quil said dryly. Old Quil nodded.

"Can I go home?" Dallas pleaded.

"Yes, actually. I think it would be the best thing for your safety. I wish I had gotten to spend more time with you…I'm so sorry." He father said to her.

"Yeah…this is just too much for me. So when do I leave?" Dallas asked eagerly, but with a hint of remorse in her voice that she threw in for his sake.

"Tomorrow afternoon is when I'll drive you back to the airport, so pack your things, I guess." Her father said sadly.

'_Thank God.'_ Jacob thought to himself, but couldn't help but feel sorry for the fact he couldn't get closer to her. He knew how a vampire attack could get, however, and knew it was for the best.

"Why don't you get some sleep so you can spend the morning with Quil and the guys." Her father suggested. Dallas nodded and turned back up the stairs, saying 'good night' over her shoulder. The others murmured their good nights as well and Dallas was gone to her room.

----

**A/N- wow…sorry to leave it at that…please don't abandon me yet because things are just starting to get good! Next chapter explains a lot…and gets a lot more marshmallow-y. 3 3 3 you guys for reading!! **


	8. Turnaround

"Ready to go?" Old Quil asked his daughter as she shoved the clothes that had barely been out of the suitcase back where they came from. It was three o clock the next afternoon, and the earliest flight Old Quil could get Dallas on was the seven o clock nonstop flight to Nashville. They were leaving early, of course, to get past the troubles of security and baggage. 

"Mhm." Dallas mumbled, zippering it shut. She followed her father out of her bedroom door, taking one last look under the doorway before closing it quietly. Her brother and his friends were waiting downstairs; Quil to ride to the airport with them, Embry, Paul, Jared and Jake to say their goodbyes. 

"Why does this look like a funeral home? I barely know y'all…you'll forget me by morning." Dallas grinned, scrutinizing the faces of those who waited in the living room.

"Eh, we could've had fun." Embry sighed. "It's too bad you've got to go so soon." 

"Yeah…but I mean, it's for the best, right?" Dallas said, shrugging as well.

"Right." Jake said, and got shot looks from the other boys.

"Well, kiddo, I wanna get you to the airport as soon as I can, so why dontcha say your goodbyes and we'll get going?" Old Quil said, taking the car keys out of his old suede jacket. On his words, Embry opened his arms wide for a hug and Dallas walked into them.

"Maybe you'll come back up once we get all this sorted out?" he said hopefully. Dallas nodded.

"Sure." she smiled, but she really wasn't sure of when she would be back, if ever. She hugged Paul next, and he ruffled her hair but didn't say a word. Jared was stiff with his hug, trying to keep hold of some of his dignity, but even in the short period of time he had gained a small soft spot for his best friend's little sister. Jake was last, and he gripped her tightly, not wanting to let go. But of course, he would never let her know that.

"Bye, kid." he said. 

"Bye, Jake." she said, patting his back awkwardly when his hug lasted longer than the others. "Hey," she added in a whisper in his ear. "Be safe, alright?" He let go then, and when she looked at him he had a smirk on his face.

"Please," he scoffed. "_You_ be safe. Let me see your phone." he added, holding his hand out. She raised an eyebrow but placed her purple cell phone in his hand nonetheless. He opened it, and his fingers moved like lightning, and then the phone was back in her closed palm.

"What's that for?" she said.

"Just call if you need anything, alright? I have a feeling you might." Jake said, ignoring the strange looks he got from her father and brother. He looked into her eyes; bright and shining a deep brown color. His breath caught in his throat and he looked away.

"…Okay..?" she said. "I'll see y'all whenever, I guess." her father placed his hand on her back and led her outside with Quil bringing up the rear after muttering "see you guys later," to his friends. 

----

Three hours later, Dallas, her father and Quil were waiting in line to board the plane. Before the line could even begin to thin out, however, Old Quil's cell phone rang. He took it out and looked at it, and sighed.

"I gotta take this, it's Billy Black. Have a safe flight, I'll miss you." he said gruffly, pulling Dallas into a hug. "Have your mom give you my number and call me when you get home, all right?" he added, and when Dallas nodded, he went off towards the big airport windows to answer the call. 

"So, did you have fun while you were here?" Quil asked once his father was gone.

"Yeah…" Dallas said, a little distracted by the goings on that happened earlier. "Hey, do you know what Jacob's problem is?" she asked him.

"What do you mean?" Quil asked. Dallas sighed. 

"I don't know…it's probably nothing. Just last night and this mornin'... is he always like that?" she asked.

"Like...?" Quil said, still pretending to not know what she was talking about. He knew she would nail him, however, and he would end up telling her about Jake's sudden feelings for her, even though it would be better for everyone if she was left in the dark. 

"I don't know... 'controlling' seems to be the wrong word." she said, deep in thought. "'overprotective' wouldn't work either, but those two seem to be the closest I can get to how he was acting. But it was on the...kinder side of those two words, and for almost no reason at all, you know? Can you see it too, or am I crazy?" 

"No, I can see where you're coming from." Quil said, but kept his voice light in attempt to drive her thoughts in a different direction. The attempt was feeble and fell flat. 

"Is he always like that?" she asked.

"No…Jake doesn't usually think about the consequences. He likes the thrill that comes along with being…" he paused, looking at the other people in line waiting to board the plane. "with our situation. When the…when Peter spoke last night…I've never seen Jake act truly worried about anything…or anyone like that before." 

"Why do you think he was like that, then? Is it just my paranoia or did he seem most worried about…me?" Dallas asked. Quil sighed. Looking at the line, he saw that there was no time to make up a story, but with too long of a pause she would've found out anyway. 

"Yep." he said simply.

"But why?" Dallas cried.

"Because he want's to be positive you'll be safe! Can't you tell? He has a thing for you." Quil said. A soft blush crept upon Dallas' cheeks.

"He does not." she said, hitting him on the shoulder for being so stupid. 

"He does too! Don't believe me if you want, but I'm telling you, he does." he said.

"But-" Dallas protested, but was cut off by the woman collecting tickets.

"Miss, your ticket please." she said, and Dallas handed her the ticket robotically and collapsed into Quil's arms for the first time. He hugged her tightly, patted her back, and let go, looking into her eyes that were now shining with tears. 

"I never thought I'd be sorry to go." she smiled sadly.

"I'll miss you." Quil said, ruffling her hair. "Maybe you'll call once or twice?" he said. Dallas nodded, and with one final hug, she was off down the long, grey corridor.

Once on the plane, she was seated by a perky flight attendant next to a father and his daughter who couldn't be older than six. She got an aisle seat this time, and relaxed easily once the plane was in the air. Seeing someone in the next row on their cell phone reminded her that she had not yet informed her mother that she was coming home early. She pulled her phone out and scrolled down her contacts past Anna, Carly, Dillon, Egor, past the newly added Jake Black, whom she paused, shook her head, and selected 'Mom'. One ring, two, three, and then,

"Hi, honey!" her mother's cheery southern voice chirped through the receiver.

"Hey, momma, how you doin'?" Dallas said. 

"What was that, honey? You're breakin' up. Where are you?" her mother asked.

"I'm on a plane, momma." Dallas said.

"On a plane? Shoot, I dropped you off there yesterday! You ain't landed yet?" her mother asked.

"Momma, I done been to Daddy's house and now I'm comin' home." Dallas said.

"Home? You ain't been there a day! Why you comin' home so quick?"

"Daddy's up to his ears in work and he said it would be better if I came another time." Dallas explained.

"Ooh…dang your father…he always does this! Now are you sure you're gonna be alright?"

"Yeah, momma, I'm fine. Can you come pick me up at the airport 'round eight tonight?" Dallas asked.

"Sure, sweetie! But I gotta get off here now…I got some chicken in the oven and I don't wanna over cook it, you hear?" 

"Yeah, all right. I'll see you tonight."

"All right, baby, I love you."

"Love you too, momma."

"Bye." the dial tone replaced her mother's voice and Dallas put the phone in her pocket, took out her ipod, found 'Everywhere' by Tim McGraw, closed her eyes and fell asleep.

----

"Attention passengers, we'll be making an unexpected stop in Denver, Colorado due to the dangerous weather conditions. We're terribly sorry for the inconvenience. Please fasten your seatbelts and prepare for landing in the Denver International Airport. For updates on when this flight will proceed, please regularly check the departing boards for Denver to Nashville. Thank you." This was what woke Dallas up about two hours after her falling asleep. She groggily looked around at the people around her to see that they were groaning irritably and fastening their seatbelts, so she followed suit. 

Looking over the father and daughter next to her, Dallas could see the plane descending into the clouds and the window was showered with rain. Lightning flashed in the distance, and she jumped back into her seat and looked straight ahead, now glad for the unexpected stop.

When the plane landed and Dallas was safe inside the airport, she found the first seat she could in front of a television showing CNN and relaxed, glad to be on the ground. So many plane rides in such a short period of time was beginning to mess with her sense of day and night. Just as she closed her eyes and started to drift off into a state of peace, a cold breeze made her shiver and a voice in her ear made the hair on her arms and the back of her neck stand on end.

"Why did you leave Washington?" the velvet, husky voice said in her ear. Dallas slowly turned around in her seat, feeling a little sick from fear.

Behind her was a young man, beautiful in appearance with long, sandy blonde hair and neatly cut five o' clock shadow. His eyes were a beautiful golden color but held an angry shine, which told her at once that he was no good. "Did daddy tell you it wasn't safe?" he said.

"Who are you?" Dallas asked in a hoarse whisper. He ignored her but sniffed obnoxiously. 

"Interesting…you're only half mutt." he said.

"Excuse me?" Dallas said.

"I smell…" he inhaled again. "Wet dog and lilac. I'm not sure whether to take you with me now…or to just kill you. You're probably useless." he went on. "Who the hell are you?" Dallas asked again."Shhh…keep your voice down, sweetie. You don't know how easy it would be for me to end your life here." he said, grinning and flashing her pointy white teeth. She gasped, now understanding. This man, who had smelled of honey at first whiff but had metallic, bitter undertones, was a vampire.

"Did you follow me here?" she whispered angrily.

"No, no. Unlucky for you, I was already in this fine establishment when you stepped off your plane. No offense, sweetie, but you don't exactly blend in. Well," he chuckled. "you can't hide from me, at least. Now, you never told me why you left Washington." as if on cue, Dallas' 'I'm Only Me When I'm With You' ringtone sounded from her pocket. She looked at the vampire and her breath caught in her throat when her eyes met his cold ones.

"Answer it." He murmured. Dallas shakily took out her phone and looked at the name that lit up on the screen. The vampire looked as well and smiled slightly when he saw that it was her mother. "Answer it." he repeated. "Bring it close to me so I can hear the conversation. Only say what I tell you to." he said quietly as she opened the phone. 

"Hello?" she said quietly into the receiver.

"Hi honey! Sorry to bother you…how's your flight goin'?" her mother said cheerfully. Dallas looked at the vampire for instruction, not particularly wanting to die just yet. 

"Tell her about the delay." he murmured.

"Uh…the weather's real bad, so we have to stop in Denver for a bit." she said. 

"Oh, now that's too bad…you're in Colorado?" her mother asked. She glanced at the vampire again, and he responded with a nod. 

"Yeah." Dallas said.

"Oh, okay…so what time do you want me to pick you up then?" 

"What time?" Dallas hissed at the vampire.

"Hm?" he said. "Oh, you're not going home…no, that will never do because I know what's going on now."

"I…I'm not comin' home, momma. Not just yet." Dallas said, glaring at the vampire.

"Why?" her mother asked.

"Lie." he told her.

"Uh…Daddy says it's alright for me to come back now. He found someone to help him get his work done and now he has more free time." Dallas said, glancing at the vampire for approval. He nodded again.

"You sure?" her mother said, uncertainty now in her voice.

"Yeah."

"Okay…well, I'ma let you go then."

"Tell her you love her.""I love you, momma."

"I love you too, baby. Bye now.""Say goodbye."

"Bye." Dallas hung up the phone and put it back in her pocket.

"So…I know what's going on now." the vampire said. "Your mutts must have found out about my little plan. Daddy had his little girl up for a visit but when he found out it wasn't safe for her there he sent her back home to Tennessee to be with her momma."

"You're James, aren't you?" Dallas whispered.

"Very good, Sweetie. A Plus…but now I need to find out who revealed my plans…" he said. Dallas pursed her lips and glared at him, determined not to give that information away. "Oh, don't worry. I won't make you tell me. I'll find out on my own soon enough." he picked at his fingernails casually. 

"Why Can't you let me just go home then? I promise I won't say nothin' to nobody!" Dallas said."Oh, no, no, no, no, no, see, if daddy wanted his little girl to be safe so bad he had to send her home, I can use you to my advantage. I can say to your father, 'I promise not to lay a hand on your daughter if you cooperate. And if not, I kill her.'" he shrugged. "But now, I've made my decision." he said, and grabbed the collar of her jacket. She gasped as he pulled her to face him full on over the back of her chair. It only too a second for him to have his lips at her throat, and she used every bit of courage she still had to speak. 

"You just said...you were goin' to use me to make my father cooperate!" Dallas said through shaky breaths.

"I lied." he said simply. Dallas cringed, squeezed her eyes shut and waited to die.

"There's too many people around...you'd be found out...you'd never get away with it." she pleaded. 

"Do you see how easy it was for me to lie to you? How easy it was to get you to beg for your life? I could've been lying this whole time and you wouldn't have known...I was lying again when I said I was going to kill you. But now you'll just have to believe what ever I tell you because you have no idea when I'm telling the truth. So now listen carefully." he grinned, and slowly let go of her coat. She glared at him, breathing heavily. "I'm watching you, sweetie. Go back to Washington and stay there. Tell all of your wolf buddies about our little chat, but just remember one thing...I'm coming for all of you. Nothing can stop me, and when I get there, I'm making you my number one target." 

"You're lyin'." Dallas growled.

"Am I?" he chuckled, but then was serious once more. "There's a plane going back to Seattle in twenty minutes. Get on it and go back to Daddy. Do not get on a plane to Tennessee."

"So you expect me to sneak on a plane, or are you buyin' me a ticket? Because mine says I'm goin' to Nashville. she said.

"Not a problem. Give it to me." he smiled as she continued to glare at him and then she handed over her ticket. He was gone maybe a minute and a half and then he came back with a ticket back to Seattle. "I have ways." he said. "Have a nice flight." and then he was gone. When she was sure he had left, Dallas took out her cell phone and quickly scrolled through her contacts to find Jake. It rang twice before he picked up the phone. 

"Hello?" he said.

"Jacob! It's Dallas." she said, relieved. 

"Dallas? Hey! How was your flight?" he said. 

"Jake, I'm in Denver right now, and I'm comin' back to La Push.""What? No! Dallas, it's not safe. You gotta go home." Jake said, strictness in his voice. 

"I know, but I can't explain right now. All I can say is James is comin', but I don't know when. He said I'm gonna..."

"James? Dallas, what are you talking about? When did you talk to James? You talked to James! Dallas, he's a vampire! You could've been killed! What the hell were you..."

"Jake I know all that! You think I just started talkin' to him? I'm scared, okay/ Can you pick me up at the airport in Seattle at half past twelve?" she was close to tears now, and there was kindness in Jake's voice when he spoke again. 

"Dallas, that's right in the middle of the meeting with the Cullens...I can't just...""Jake, please? I can't go back to Tennessee...I'll explain when I get there." she begged.

"You're killing me, Dallas." he groaned.

"I know."

"I'll never forgive myself for letting you back into this." 

"I'll owe you forever."

"Damn right you will."

"I'll stay out of the way, I promise."

"You're not seeing the outside of the reservation until this is over." he said.

"I can live with that."

"Okay." 

"Don't tell my dad or Quil I'm comin' back." 

"They're gonna kill me." he sighed.

"Me first." 

"True."

"Jake?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

"I'll see you in a couple hours, kiddo."

"Bye, Jake."

**A/N- well thank you all so very much for reading....please review. um...i have no idea why my text is messing up, so please please don't ask. I'm not sure if it still is, but I'm done trying to fix it today. For now, on to write chapter 9! Oh btw hope y'all are having a marvy summer...mine's been pretty rainy (in Maine...the only state where you can see all four seasons in an hour...bleh) gonna go and well...enjoy the sun while it's here! Taking a notebook outside...maybe see the friends a little later...clear my thoughts with a one-shot of some sort...I don't know. Ignore my babbles....[less than three!!!]**


	9. Imprint

A/N- Oh…hi…(cringes for slaps for being away so long) I have had….writer's block. Major. But…I am back now. For the summer, at least. Oh my goodness. I started this a year ago. Please don't be mad at me! I love you all dearly.

(Jacob P.O.V.)

_"Just call if you need anything, alright? I have a feeling you might." I said. I ignored the looks I got from her father and Quil, and looked down into her eyes. Big mistake. My breath caught in my throat; her eyes were sparkling a deep brown, almost black. They were beautiful. Everything about her was. I regretfully looked away, holding back both the string of swears I had lined up for my horrible luck and from pulling her into my arms and never letting go. I knew it was best for her to leave, but letting her was killing me. There was an awkward pause. "…Okay..?" she said. Her voice made my heart fly up into my throat. I was turning into the lovesick idiot that I never wanted to be. She looked at me one last time, then smiled at everyone else. "I'll see y'all whenever, I guess." Quil muttered, "see you guys later," and then the three of them were gone._

As soon as the door was shut, I punched the wall beside it and fell to my knees. I never felt like that before.

"Jake, what's wrong?" Embry asked me, coming up behind me and putting his hand on my shoulder. I tensed.

"Damn it. Quil is going to kill me." I said. I got up and went to the couch. I heard the car back out of the driveway and it felt like my heart was pushing on my chest, trying to go with her. This is not how I wanted to end up.

"Jake…" Jared said. "What's going on?"

"What do you think is going on?" I snapped, my eyes glued to the spot where she stood, not three minutes earlier.

"Oh no. You didn't." Paul said. The looks on Jared and Embry's face told me that they got it, too.

"You _imprinted_ on Quil's sister?" Jared finally said the words that were screaming in everyone else's head.

"Lucky bastard." Embry muttered. I shot him a dirty look.

"Dude, she's been here since last night. You've been fine the whole time. Like you said, we'd know if you did." Jared said.

"Well, you know now, dontcha?" I growled.

"But…"

"She wouldn't look me in the eyes until just now. She's been shy, she was always looking at the ground, or past me when she talked to me." I told them. It was quiet for a minute, and I took that time to collect my thoughts. This could not be happening. Embry interrupted me.

"What was it like?" he asked. That's funny. He wants me to explain it in words.

"It was like…figuring out the meaning for existing. Every other thing that was keeping me alive didn't matter anymore… it was… like…. all of the pieces inside me weren't where they were supposed to be. My heart was in my throat and my throat was in my stomach, my brain was a few feet next to me on the floor, the air I usually breathe went up to my head… it was better than the first time I ever ran as a wolf. Think about that." They were quiet again, most likely trying to wrap that around their heads. They were asking me to explain something even I didn't understand. Was I going to be like this forever? Would my friends, my family, and my life, just not matter to me anymore? I certainly hoped not. Because for every cell in my body that wanted her to be next to me right now, a small part of me was still thinking rationally. I wanted to still be…me. The rational part was almost completely overwhelmed by my need for Dallas. The need to know she was all right. That she was safe. I guess she was, now that she was going back home. But part of me wishes I could protect her myself. I could tell that this feeling wasn't going to shake. I hated it! And yet… I loved it.

I loved the feeling of needing to protect someone. She was mine to protect. I knew that now. Of course, I would need to share with Quil and his dad. And I could tell the other guys liked her too. I really hoped that this would get to be a normal feeling eventually. I mean, Sam and Emily don't seem all that bad… they have time to think about other things too. They look like any other couple… only… in this century, that kind of love is hard to come by. Sam… that's it.

"I'm going out." I announced.

"Where are you going?" Embry asked.

"I'm going to talk to Sam." Without another word, I was out the door and sprinting to Emily's, where I knew Sam would be.

"Sam!" I said as I burst in the door. I saw him sitting at the kitchen table with his head in his hands, looking worried. Emily had her hands on his shoulders, rubbing them gently. I instinctively backed slightly out the door. "Oh… sorry. I'll just…"

"No, Jacob, its okay, come in." Sam said. His voice sounded tired; he slept as much as any of us, and that was no more than an hour or so.

"You sure?"

"What's going on? Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I think so. I just need to talk to you for a second, if that's okay. It's kind of important." I told him.

"Of course. Emily, love, I'll be right back. Jacob, if you want to talk in the living room…"

"Yeah." I followed Sam into the living room and sat on the couch. I put my head in my hands like I just saw him doing.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I'm just going to come out and say it. I imprinted on Dallas, and I have no clue what to do." I said, looking up at him. He sat down next to me.

"Wow…dude…that is kind of important, isn't it?" He smiled a little sadly at me. He knew that these were not the circumstances anyone wanted, and yet he could still be one of the guys, just as much as Quil or Embry.

"Yeah."

"She's gone already, isn't she?" he asked. I gulped and nodded, staring at the carpet. "Tell me what happened."

I told him everything that happened, and when I finished, Sam sighed.

"It's going to be tough, while she's gone. I'm not going to lie. But you're right; it's best for her to stay away at this point. And she isn't here for us to explain it to her, which will also be hard. Hopefully this will all be over soon, so she can come back and everything can be sorted out." he said. He made it sound like…an order of business. This was my life he was talking about.

"How long does this…feeling of…I don't know how to explain it. It's like…she's all I think about. Will I ever be able to actually be with her like a normal couple? And have friends too? Will we fight, or will it be totally fake, sappy love?" I spilled out. I would ignore his insensitivity for now. He chuckled.

"Yes, it gets normal once both of you know, and you can be with her to take care of her, or know she's being taken care of. It was only like you are for me with Emily for a few days or so, and then it was as easy as breathing. My life went back to normal..well…as normal is it could. And I had my Emily. Trust me, Jacob. This is an asset, a great addition to your life, not a bad one. But please…control yourself around her. You never know what could happen." He finished solemnly. Sam blamed himself for what happened to Emily's face, though everyone else knew it wasn't his fault. There was no use in trying to convince him now.

"Thanks, Sam." I said, getting up. Sam stood up with me.

"No problem. I'm honored that I'm the first one you thought to come to with this." He grinned. I rolled my eyes.

"Get over yourself and go talk to Emily. I'll see you later." I said, jogging out the door and shouting 'see ya, Em!' over my shoulder.

My phone rang. It was one of those annoying, built in tones, blasting right in my ear. I had taken a nap when I got home, to clear my head. I couldn't tell what time it was, but it was getting dark outside. I took my phone off my nightstand and looked at the glowing blue screen. The only thing that was on the screen was the same name that had been running through my thoughts all day. Dallas. I slid my phone open to answer.

"_Hello?" I said. My voice cracked from just waking up._

"_Jacob! Its Dallas." For some reason, she sounded relieved. It was great to hear her voice, though._

"_Dallas? Hey, how was your flight?" I asked her. She's got to be into me if she called me this soon._

"_Jake, I'm in Denver right now, and I'm comin' back to La Push." She said. These were the words I was hoping for and dreading at the same time. I said what was the right thing to say, though my mind was screaming something else._

"_What? No! Dallas, it's not safe. You gotta go home." I said, as strict as I could manage._

_"I know, but I can't explain right now. All I can say is James is comin', but I don't know when. He said I'm gonna..." What? James? What was she talking about?_

_"James? Dallas, what are you talking about? When did you talk to James? You talked to James! Dallas, he's a vampire! You could've been killed! What the hell were you..." Was she crazy? _

_"Jake I know all that! You think I just started talkin' to him? I'm scared, okay/ Can you pick me up at the airport in Seattle at half past twelve?" She sounded like she was about to start crying. She was really scared...okay, Jake, nice job. You knew that. Of course you can go pick her up…but…that's right in the middle of the meeting. Come on Jake, priorities._

_"Dallas, that's right in the middle of the meeting with the Cullens...I can't just..."_

_"Jake, please? I can't go back to Tennessee...I'll explain when I get there." She was begging with me now. Begging. Great._

_"You're killing me, Dallas."_

"_I know." This was worse than a soft spot. I was a pile of mush. Overprotective mush._

_"I'll never forgive myself for letting you back into this." _

_"I'll owe you forever." Already taken care of. But she doesn't know that yet._

"_Damn right you will."_

_"I'll stay out of the way, I promise." I'll be with her._

_"You're not seeing the outside of the reservation until this is over."_

_"I can live with that." So can I._

_"Okay." _

_"Don't tell my dad or Quil I'm comin' back." They're gonna kill me. _

_"They're gonna kill me." he sighed._

_"Me first." I won't let them._

_"True."_

_"Jake?" Dallas._

_"Hm?"_

_"Thank you." It's nothing._

_"I'll see you in a couple hours, kiddo."_

_"Bye, Jake." "Bye, Dallas._


End file.
